When his beloved grandfather suddenly died of a heart attack, Stephen Sontheimer, the young heir apparent to the Tharp-Sontheimer Funeral Home, was excluded from the rituals associated with the end of his grandfather’s life. Eager to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers, Stephen was not deterred from learning the family business and familiarizing himself…

It’s one thing to be recognized as an artist, a yoga instructor, and a successful copywriter, but being a brain cancer survivor takes life to a new level. Beverly Morris is a survivor. She has had three surgeries, four years of chemotherapy, and a lifetime dose of radiation. What she takes away from all of…

Twenty-nine-year-old, Jake Densen’s life was like that of any other Los Angeles twenty-something: a blossoming career in the television industry, great friends, and a supportive family. All of that was suddenly put to the test when, in March of 2015, an unusual skin rash led to a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia or AML. In…

Most of us will eventually reach a point where medical intervention is outmatched by advanced age, illness, or both. It is at this point where meaningful conversations between physicians, patients and their families are crucial. Why then do medical schools and residencies offer their trainees little to no formal guidance on how to facilitate end-of-life…

Allison Durant’s mother died on the heels of her high school graduation. For years before, Jane had been absent from Allison’s life, mostly in hospitals, fighting a losing battle with lung cancer. Allison’s teenage invincibility gave her the strength to brush her mother’s death aside and throw herself wholeheartedly into her own hectic life. Soon…